US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV2567

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 002567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/SA/EX FOR RICHIE; DEPT FOR 
DS/IP/ITA; DEPT FOR DS/IP/NEA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DANIN; USAID 
FOR DCHA, DCHA/FPP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWBG, PHUM, PREL, PTER, ASEC, CASC, GZ, IS, Sitrep 
SUBJECT: WB/G SITREP: IDF SOLDIER STABBED IN WEST BANK 
ATTACK; 12 PALESTINIANS WOUNDED IN BARRIER PROTESTS -- 
APRIL 25, 2005 (1300 HOURS LOCAL) 
 
This is a joint ConGen Jerusalem/Embassy Tel Aviv cable. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: An IDF soldier sustained moderate injuries 
after he was stabbed in the neck April 23 near Ganim 
settlement, east of Jenin.  The IDF closed the area while in 
pursuit of the assailant, but no arrests have been made in 
connection with this attack.  In the Old City of Hebron, 
settler youths attacked 15 female Palestinian students April 
23, and a 70-year-old Palestinian man was attacked by 
settlers while grazing his sheep near the settlement of Alon 
Moreh, near Nablus, April 24.  A number of the girls were 
bruised from the April 23 attack, while the elderly man was 
hospitalized with moderate injuries.  A total of 12 
Palestinians were injured during clashes with IDF troops near 
Safa village, west of Ramallah, April 22.  In Gaza, PA 
security forces, in coordination with the IDF, blocked a 
tunnel used for smuggling opposite the al-Salaam quarter of 
the Rafah refugee camp April 24.  Palestinian militants fired 
four mortars and one Qassam rocket at IDF and Israeli settler 
targets in Gaza April 22-24.  No injuries were reported.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) ATTACKS/SECURITY: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian reports, 12 
Palestinians were injured during clashes with IDF troops near 
Safa village, west of Ramallah, April 22. 
 
-- Injuries: According to media reports, an IDF soldier 
sustained moderate injuries after he was stabbed in the neck 
April 23 near Ganim settlement, east of Jenin.  The IDF 
closed the area while in pursuit of the assailant, but no 
arrest have been made in connection with this attack. 
 
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian reports, a Palestinian 
minor was injured moderately April 24 in Bethlehem when an 
explosive device he was holding detonated in his hand. 
 
-- Injuries: According to Palestinian sources, a Palestinian 
man was injured in Arjut village, near Nablus, April 24 when 
an explosive device detonated underneath him as he was 
grazing his sheep next to the village. 
 
-- Arrests: According to Palestinians sources, the IDF 
arrested a Palestinian in possession of four pipe bombs 
outside Nablus April 22. 
 
-- Arrests: According to Palestinian media, the IDF arrested 
a Palestinian youth trying to smuggle ammunition in a 
videocassette near Nablus April 22. 
 
-- Arrests: According to Palestinians sources, two 
Palestinians were arrested at Bayt Forik checkpoint, near 
Nablus, April 23 for suspicion of attempting to attack an IDF 
soldier. 
 
-- Arrests: According to Palestinian reports, IDF soldiers 
arrested five Palestinians April 23 in al-Dahariya village, 
near Hebron. 
 
-- Attacks: According to Palestinian sources, settler youths 
in the Old City of Hebron attacked 15 female Palestinian 
students April 23.  Many of the Palestinian girls suffered 
bruises as a result of the attack. 
 
-- Attacks: According to Palestinian media reports, a 
70-year-old Palestinian man was attacked by settlers while 
grazing his sheep near the settlement of Alon Moreh, near 
Nablus, April 24.  The man was hospitalized with moderate 
injuries. 
 
3.  (SBU) SECURITY INCIDENTS: 
 
 -- According to Palestinian media, IDF soldiers entered 
Nablus and the nearby Balata refugee camp to conduct searches 
April 24. 
 
4.  (SBU) PROTESTS: 
 
-- According to Palestinian reports, a demonstration against 
the construction of the separation barrier was held April 25 
near the villages of Bil'in and Safa, west of Ramallah. 
 
-- According to Palestinian media reports, a demonstration 
against Greek Orthodox Patriarch Irenios was held after 
Sunday mass in the Old City of Jerusalem April 24. 
Demonstrators demanded Irenios' resignation, reportedly 
calling him a "traitor" and charging him with direct 
responsibility for selling property in the Old City to 
Israeli settler groups. 
 
---- 
Gaza 
---- 
 
5.  (SBU) ATTACKS: 
 
-- Deaths: Nil. 
 
-- Injuries: Nil. 
 
-- Mortars/Rockets: The IDF reported that Palestinian 
militants fired a total of four mortar shells at Neve Dekalim 
settlement April 22-24.  Militants fired one Qassam rocket at 
towards Yad Mordechai crossing (in Israel) April 24.  No 
injuries were reported in any of these attacks. 
 
-- Shootings: Palestinian militants launched a total of five 
shooting attacks against IDF and Israeli settler targets 
April 22-24. 
 
-- Explosions: UNRWA reported that PA security forces, in 
coordination with the IDF, blocked a tunnel used for 
smuggling opposite the al-Salaam quarter of the Rafah refugee 
camp April 24. 
 
6.  (SBU) ARRESTS: 
 
-- UNRWA reported that the IDF arrested two 15-year-old 
Palestinian youths April 23 when the youths attempted to 
cross into Israel illegally north of Kissufim. 
 
7.  (SBU) BORDER CROSSINGS: 
 
-- Route Four (Salahadeen Road), the main north-south traffic 
artery, was open April 22-25, with a major detour at Netzarim 
Junction. 
 
-- Erez Crossing was open for internationals and for a 
limited number of Palestinians April 21-24, and 4,500 
laborers and 345 merchants crossed into Israel April 21.  On 
April 22, 1,665 laborers and 82 merchants entered Israel; on 
April 23, 145 laborers and 15 merchants entered; and on April 
24, 54 laborers and 16 merchants entered Israel. 
 
-- The Erez Industrial Zone was open April 21, and 633 
laborers entered.  Erez Industrial Zone was closed April 
22-24. 
 
-- Sufa Crossing was closed for Palestinian laborers April 
22-23, but was open for the import of aggregates used in 
construction.  On April 24, the crossing was closed, 
re-opening for the import of aggregates used in construction 
April 25. 
 
-- Karni Terminal was open April 22-23 and April 25.  Karni 
was closed April 24. 
 
-- Rafah Terminal was open for arrivals and departures April 
23-25. 
 
-- Tel al-Sultan checkpoint was closed April 22-25.  Toufah 
checkpoint was open for residents of al-Mowassi. 
 
8.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: 
 
-- UNRWA reported that a small group of armed men, reportedly 
members of the PA security forces dismissed in 2004 for 
"anti-Palestinian activities," blocked the coastal road south 
of Netzarim Junction for several hours the morning of April 
24.  The men demanded they be reinstated into the security 
forces. 
 
-- UNRWA and Palestinian media reported that a group of 
approximately 250 members of the PA National Security Forces 
who had been dismissed demonstrated at the Saraya Building in 
central Gaza City April 23, protesting against the retirement 
plan and the leak of their names to the media. 
 
 
 
 
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